By Vladimir Brezina
You don’t need a lot of strength to travel long distances by kayak. You just need a lot of endurance.
But you do need need to be strong at a few critical moments.
Such as when taking apart your stuck two-piece paddle after the trip—
A contribution to Ailsa’s travel-themed photo challenge, Strong.
... kayaked the waters around New York for more than 15 years in his red Feathercraft folding kayak. He was originally from (the former) Czechoslovakia and lived in the U.K. and California before settling down in New York. He was a neuroscientist at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He died in 2016.
... is a kayaker and technology researcher at Nemertes Research. She's an erstwhile engineer, particle physicist, and science fiction writer. She was born in California and has lived in Italy, Norway, Hawaii, and a few other places. She currently resides in New York City.
 | CurlsnSkirls on The First Leg! |
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| Johna Till Johnson on The First Leg! |
 | Marilyn Albright on The First Leg! |
| CurlsnSkirls on The First Leg! |
| Johna Till Johnson on Looks Like They Made It! |
 | Pit on Looks Like They Made It! |
| Johna Till Johnson on More Scenes From the Nort… |
| CurlsnSkirls on Halfway There! |
 | Larry Jensen on More Scenes From the Nort… |
| Johna Till Johnson on R2AK: Scenes From the Northern… |
 | Frank Winters on R2AK: Scenes From the Northern… |
| Johna Till Johnson on Halfway There! |
| CurlsnSkirls on Halfway There! |
| Johna Till Johnson on And They’re Off! |
Wind Against Current 
I love it!
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Thanks, Naomi!!
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:-) Absolutely! Well chosen
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Thanks, Tina! :-)
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Looks like they are having a tug of war :)
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Fortunately, neither one was really stronger than the other… so all the force went into separating the two pieces of the paddle, and they did come apart, eventually :-)
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This same technique works to take apart delicate fly fishing rods if one has forgotten to grease them by rubbing the ferrules alongside the nose when assembling. Kayak paddle ferrules might require the skin oils of several noses to properly lubricate, or maybe eating a bag of potato chips beforehand.
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Have to try that next time! :-)
In part, it’s just bad design. My own two-piece paddle locks in a completely different way, and doesn’t have this problem…
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Haha, Such a unique depiction of the challenge, Gotta love it ! ^.^
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Thanks!!
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Good one!
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Thank you, Sue! :-)
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Ah! – I did wonder if they were fighting over the paddle – knowing without one it was a long walk home.
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Since this was in Key Largo, it would have been a long walk home to NYC. But a long paddle too…
Yes, that’s another situation in which you would need strength :-)
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Very well-chosen for the challenge! I hope they both didn’ t end up on the ground with a piece of the paddle in hands when it finally came apart :)
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That’s the price you pay for success, I am afraid ;-)
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:D Indeed…
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Weirdly, I can’t remember. I don’t think we did, though! Man, I can remember that day as if it were yesterday…. we had just finished with a big breakfast at the diner across the road, and were moving sleepily at 50% of our normal speed… I’m amazed I had the strength to pull against Cynthia (who is a very strong girl).
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I couldn’ t resist to tease but have the feeling you did stay on both feet! Otherwise there might have been another photo, called “AFTER”, too :)
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Cute!
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:-) Thanks!
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Johna, are you free? Alex has a two-piece paddle that became a one-piece a long time ago!
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Well, we’d probably have to call in my partner, Cynthia ;-). Seriously, two suggestions: 1. Run warm water over it (a LOT of warm water). Stick it in the shower and let ‘er rip…. 2. Try the “hold the paddle behind your knees and pull it apart with your hands” trick. I haven’t the faintest idea why that trick works, but it almost always does.
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Yes, the idea is that yer legs are lots stronger than yer arms (true). But this #%^&*+@! paddle is more stubborn — or stuck — than most. Heat may do the trick! See you soon, J&A
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Go Johna!
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:-) They did it in the end!
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Duel in the shade!
All these complexities, even around a paddle. Who knew!
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It’s more an art than a science :-)
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Awesome!!!
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:-) Thank you!!
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